In 2008 the US experienced an explosive rate of growth in installed wind power capacity. Last year the US added an additional 8,358 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity (enough to serve over 2 million homes) surpassing Germany as the world’s largest producer of wind energy.
The 2009 Green Innovation Index, which was released last week, showed that in spite of the global financial crisis, that total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) produced per unit of energy (energy productivity) is 68 percent higher in California than the rest of the nation. This generates billions for the economy. Since 2005 green jobs in California have grown at a rate ten times faster than total job growth. Green tech venture capital investment nearly doubled in one year, hitting an all-time high of $3.3 billion in 2008, capturing 57 percent of the national total.
President Barack Obama unveiled a new emblem last week that will be used on projects funded by the economic stimulus package. Projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will bear a newly-designed emblem. “We’re also making it easier for Americans to see what projects are being funded with their money as part of our recovery, said President Obama.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar wants to create renewable energy zones to spur solar and wind energy projects, and build power lines to get the electricity to markets. In an interview with The Associated Press, Salazar said that while some regions of the country as well as offshore areas have great potential for wind energy and solar, there isn’t a clear plan to develop the resources.
The Future of Sustainable Innovation
Word around the blogs is that Van Jones has been tapped to serve as a “green jobs czar” in the Obama administration. We’re still trying to confirm, and we’ll have more soon on this potential new role for someone who’s been a household name.
With the increased awareness and attention paid to all things green a new directory of “green” and “sustainable” offerings has been launched. FairGreenTrade.com (FGT), is designed to help both businesses and consumers find environmentally friendly products and services. The site also features an events calendar, a blog and a reference section.
Green Corporate Strategies – Issues and Implementation from the Supply Management Perspective” delves into some of the definitions of “green” and “sustainability,” the drivers for green initiatives, the business case for green, recommendations for establishing internal and external green strategies, emerging standards and benchmarks, and information on “greenwashing.” It also includes a case study from The Auto Club Group and several Internet resources for further information.
American Solar Energy Society recently released a report on the renewable energy and energy efficiency or RE&EE industries in the US and Colorado. For 2007, the U.S renewable energy and energy efficiency (RE&EE) industries generated $1,045 billion in sales and created over 9 million jobs. The U.S. RE&EE revenues represent substantially more than the combined 2007 sales of the three largest U.S. corporations — Wal-Mart, ExxonMobil, and GM ($905 billion).
